Stratics VeteranAlumni

Ariana sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, the flickering light cascading upon the concentrating look of her blue eyes. Spread out in front of her were detailed maps of each of the major lands as she looked between them with a meticulous calculating look. She tilted her head very slightly as she picked up the soft footsteps of Adonias as he walked around the couch to stand next to her. She tapped a fingernail against a spot on one of the maps as Adonias moved closer to inspect as she simply stated, "T'ere."

His eyes studied the location for a long moment before letting his eyes drift to several other marks as if weighing other points against her decision. "The initial acquisition will be quite expensive. Strategically, it is one of the most defensible locations should that become necessary."

"Gold will nay be an issue, " she said, smirking slightly.

"I didn't fathom how it could be, " he paused, looking at the location again, "It is the best choice given the options."

"Contact mus' be made with the local riff-raff. Find the leader and report back to me, " she said with her eyes still intent where her finger now rested.

He smirked and gave a short nod as he turned. She looked over her shoulder as his body seemed to fade from view as he walked to the secret door. She looked back at the map and slowly smiled, "Once ye are in my hands, m'dear... we will revive ye f'the whole world t'see. " Her manicured nail lightly stroked the surface of the map gently, "Greed will truly become the mother o' invention..."

Stratics VeteranAlumni

Soft leather boots seeped down a bit in the soft mud of the main thoroughfair of Buc's Den, and a groan passed the lips of the man who stood in them.

"At least they could put in some damn cobblestones. Don't they know dirty boots make for angry murderers?"

Slowly he made his way from the teleport archway toward the docks, the stink of fish, the ocean and dirty sailors assaulting his senses. He made a face as he got closer, eyes focusing on the meandering swell of humanity bustling here and there. A ship sat against the pier, rolling in the light swells that make their way into the bay. Men made their way to and from the boat, carrying barrels, crates, bundles and baskets. He stopped moving and watched, going over each and every one of the laborers. Several minutes went by, and suddenly, his hand swiftly reaches out and takes hold of the sleeve of a slightly drunk sailor.

"Boy, who runs this boat? And, please, be honest."

As he spoke, a large pouch of coin slips from the well dressed man to the drunken one. The sailor squints, then looks up and nods, motioning to the only person not working.

"Thanks fella. Now go enjoy your evening."

After patting the sailor on the back, he made another face and wiped his hand off on his pants.

"Now. We wait."

Several hours passed by. The ship was unloaded and the goods secured on the dock. The sailors had dispersed, most drunk, and all unattentive.

"I won't even have to work at this one."

No one had really even noticed him standing there, leaning against one of the pilons on the dock. Sailor after sailor passed by, not even bothering to look his direction. Only a few torches sputtered near the boat, and the captain was standing on the deck, staring off toward the exit of the bay where the clawlike pinches of Buc's Den held the fiercest of the ocean's waves. Boots, still caked with mud, walked across the dock and up the gangplank to the ship.

"Ho there, fella! Visitor coming on board."

The captain didn't bother to put down the bottle he'd been nursing for the past hour, and the only noticeable movement was a hand shifting to rest on the hilt of his cutlass. The bearded man took another draw from the bottle, then spat over the side.

"She finally seein' th' light?"

Adonias stepped onto the ship proper, then made his way to stand next to the Captain. A smirk passed his lips and he nodded, arms crossing.

"Yeah. There's nothing like getting knocked up and then ditched to **** off a female bad enough to make them go nuts."

The Captain held out the bottle to the other soul on the deck. It was declined with a motion of a hand. The pirate shrugged, then took another draw.

"Well, the preparations are done. I done consol'dated the Cap'ins that would stand wi' us. There be a couple of boats that don't seem too 'appy about losin' their independence, but they just going ta' learn who not ta' mess wit'."

The well dress visitor nodded, then pulled his ponytail over his shoulder, sounding almost exasperated.

"By the virtues, why do things always have to be done the hard way?"

The captain started to laugh, the huge man's chest heaving as he belted out the echoing gaffaws.

"You and the virtues don't seem good bed fella's, ya freak."

Turning again, Adonias begins to make his way off the boat, his feet barely making a noise as he walks across the deck and down the gangplank.

"Well Cap... I've a message to give and a few dozen men to murder. We'll see one another again."

The pirate nods, then takes another drink, finishing the bottle, and then tosses the empty container off the side.

"Aye son. Aye. Just tell her to make sure to bring a bottle of vintage rum. The crap that's been coming off Nujelm lately has tasted like it spent the last few months in an ogre's backside."

Stratics VeteranAlumni

Malekai quickly slammed the book closed catching the pixie in the ledger pages. "Damn things, " he said as he opened the book and smirked at the unfortunate pixie smashed against the previously pristine white paper of the shipping manifest.

​

He gave a slight shrug and continued his inspection of the crates and barrels against the list as he barked orders at the hired hands. A half dozen pack animals were loaded with the items and a guard put at each corner as she slow caravan moved into the City of Umbra and towards the moongate. From the moongate, they made their way along the coast of Jhelom to the docks where he met Adonias.

"Is it all there?" Adonias said as he held out his hand.

Malekai nodded and handed over the shipping manifest, "It is. It needs to be loaded on the ship immediately."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see to it, " he said as he tucked the shipping manifest into a pocket and turned to walk back down the docks.

"Aren't you going to check the cargo?" Malekai asked in almost disbelief.

Adonias turned his head and smirked, "Not my damn neck on the line if its not."

Malekai paled slightly and motioned the caravan to move down to the end of the docks and unload the crates and barrels on the pier. He stationed two of guard on The Dragonstorm and took the other two guards to stand guard at the beginning of the pier. Adonias began to casually oversee the hauling of the cargo as it began to be loaded onto the waiting ship. The hired guards stood grunting in the scorching morning son of the steamy jungle air.

​

Adonias offered advice as he looked on with his telltale smirk as he watched the hired hands load the cargo onto the ship. The workers sweated and grunted as the piled the crates onto the deck as Adonias offered support under the guise of offhand comments and threats against their physical well being. He did little to hide his unhappiness at having to oversee such an apparent mundane task as delivering of this cargo.

​

Finally the ship was fully loaded and they set sail through the Serpent's strait on their way to their destination. The seas were relatively calm and the crew quietly talked among themselves as the guards kept an eye out for sea serpents and krakens.

​

The ship arrived late afternoon in the port of Buccaneer's Den. They moored it across from a large dragon ship that had been christened with the name The Coral Pride on its bow. A group of dirty and drunk pirates were on board and eyed them suspiciously as they dropped anchor. Adonias called out to them and they dropped their gangplank and nodded to him. Adonias shouted at the guards to take their position on the pier between the boats. The workers began the sweaty process of moving the cargo onto the waiting pirate ship.

​

Finally they finished as the first starts in the twilight began to flicker in the falling light of evening. Adonias told the workers and the guards that dinner was being provided at the tavern courtesy of their employer.

​

The crew and guards moved off down the docks as Adonias boarded the pirate ship. The captain emerged from below the deck and gave him a nod. Adonias nodded back once and as if that was all that needed to be communicated turned and walked down the plank and towards the loud, boisterous sounds of women, ale and laughter that filled the night of the city of Buccaneer's Den.

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